500 watts NOT ENOUGH???

[Jojo1971]

My new GB mobo (8INXP) must be maxing out my power supply...I did a "sniff test"- smells like something is burning from inside the PSU.. could it be that my PSU is getting overloaded? It is a POWMAX /LEADMAN 500W...
3 HDD, 1 DVDwriter, 1 CDwriter, 2 x 512 DDR, 1 heatsink fan, 3 case fans, at least 5 USB devices....How much current do I need to run these components? The POWMAX/LEADMAN has 25A on its 12+, 30A on its 3.3+ and 50A on its 5+..
Do I need to upgrade to something like the ENERMAX 550? / or its ANTEC equivalent? Suggestions pls....THX..

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

open up a monitorying program and see if hte voltages are low
they shouldnt be

....maybe its just the power supply lol?
stick it in a friends comp and sniff haha

or run it outside of the case without the mobo and see

or d/c it from all those devices...just leave mobo+cpufan+boot hd hooked up and see

....maybe go in reverse order of my suggestions lol

 

[KingofFah]

I have no idea what powmax is. My guess would be that it is a cheap PSU and you are getting close to frying your computer. Someone correct me if I am wrong about the brand. It probably cannot even run 350W in reality. For further notice, do not skimp on the PSU. Why not spend another 25-50 for a nice PSU and not run the risk of frying your 1k system.

 

[SuperMultiDude]

I have used the Powmax power supplies before and some do failed.

When they fail, they can fry the mb, cpu, hd, cd-rom, etc. I've seen it happen.

I don't think the problem is with not enough power, but with a defective power supply.

I won't hook it up to anything now. It will likely fry something.

Take it back for warranty (if you can) or buy a new power supply.

I haven't had any problems with Enermax. They seem very good (but expensive).

 

[maxSe]

Just a suggestion.... Make sure your board isn't touching a bare motherboard stand screws (those tiny metal ones where you screw in the motherboard). I once fried a board by keeping a one of those under a board for support and it actually shorted out the PSU (heard a pop) and fried the board... Hey, I would've never believed it if it didn't happen to me... 🙂

 

[Jojo1971]

let me do some corrections: it only starts to smell like something's burning when the system is doing some heavy tasks like games, prime95 and the like..at idle it's not as "smelly"...overloaded don't you think?

maxse, it happened to me in the past that my pc kept crashing/restarting- only to find out there was an extra stand touching the circuit part of the mobo...i was lucky i didnt mess up the mobo...🙂
hmmm time to browse pricewatch again...



ANTEC or ENERMAX??

 

[Jojo1971]

just ordered a 2.4 from newegg-help me pray for a c1.... 🙂

 

[ChampionAtTufshop]

i have always bought enermax, and will contineu to in the future cuz my experience has been a positive one with them
im sure others will either agree

but they are expensive at times lol

 

[Jojo1971]

lol after reading the success of those 2.4 C1 overclockers, i ended up ordering a 2.4 processor instead of getting a new power supply,, oh well....

 

[Jojo1971]

my PSU (POWMAX 500 Watts) is one of the culprits why my overclocking sucks..i tried to use my old 400W and now im able to boot @ 3.6 (compared to 3.1 with the POWMAX) but locks up -prolly coz of heat issue and low current (cpu temp is 67 degrees). AT least im stable @ 3.2 now with my old 400 watts 🙂🙂 Im definitely getting the ENERMAX 550 and time to upgrade my cpu fan to a higher rpm( im using the panaflo 1900 rpm right now)... prolly will get the 3000+rpm model...

well, overclocking like life , is full of ups and downs..


________________________________________________________________________________--
"IM AN ADVOCATE OF HIGH QUALITY/HIGH CURRENT PSU NOW!"

 

[Duvie]

It is likely the signs were there....The fact you popped in the 400watt and boom you are pushing the cpu further makes me thing the voltage rails were likley quite low or fluctuating and showing the signs of the power supply struggling. It is likely the thing was overheating trying to do what little you wanted of it then.

Sidenote I have noticed a slight smell from pSU of the past but mainly when they were brand new and eventually the smell went away completely....This was on power supply units that eventually lasted years....

 

[Zap]

I'd vote for an Antec TruePower 430W or 480W.

 

[Jojo1971]

i already ordered the enermax 550 watts with pot for the fan..also a 2.4 (hopefully a C1 from newegg)...if I cant get to 3.3 stable with it im going vapochill/ or promethia ...